Inheritor States of Ariye
When Ariye was destroyed by the Big Boom bomb, its remnants were scattered and without much guidance. The city, spanning many miles, was flooded as the Ivory Tower fell to the ground, most of the main districts were submerged in the deep seas of southern Daendroc. That which remained, officially located in the continent of Telara Merthwen, would come to be known as the Inheritor States of Ariye, the remnants of the great city that is now lost. Landscape The landscape of this area is incredibly difficult to travel by. While the city originally stood against the plains where trees used to stand tall, now it is submerged in the swamps and oceans of southern Daendroc/ northern Telara Merthwen. Among these swamps lie the ruins of Ariye, the majestic city’s ruins lies amuck within the mud, the gleam of the marble gone permanently. These ruins make up the basis for the many camps surrounding the what remains of Telara Merthwen. Much of the wildlife that dominates what is left of Telara Merthwen is full of dense jungles, resulting in a green atmosphere. Vines drape from ruins, and trees grow in the middle of old homes that might have sunk a few feet into the mud-caked earth. Towards the coast, there is little to no beach, being that there is no definitive ‘end’. The edge bordering the sea is nearly entirely submerged, the only areas above water being the tangled and twisted trees and the third floors of some taller city buildings. Snakes, predatory fish and birds call this area their home, using the murky water as a mask of death. Towards the less submerged areas, streets, homes, and fountains are more evident, and darker toned grass is prevalent. The trees still grow alongside the ruined buildings, and vines still drape from them. On the plains of the Inheritor States, only the higher walls and towers remain, or at least what’s left of them. Small settlements such as groups of tents or makeshift shelters are present, and occasionally a small functional fort. Mooan, Elasmo, Spring Bok and the Great Jungle Cat all call this area home in opposition to the Avanthar tribes. The two separated groups are always clashing, limiting each-others numbers. This shows that this territory is a neutral zone more than ever. Landmarks *Maethdag’s Bow :Maethdag’s Bow is a slender piece of the wall of Ariye found towards the coast. Its curve is viewed as the ‘bow’, while a line of makeshift barriers makes up the ‘bowstring’. This location is often contested, as Elves of the area believe the bow to be an actual holy place of worship to the Vice Maethdag. Whichever state might obtain possession of this location would be considered ‘blessed’ by Maethdag, in favor of the Deity. *Temple of Telduis :There is an isolated Temple of Estel on the southern edge of boundaries of the Inheritor States. It is held by the state of Orn, and is closest to nature than the rest of the states as a result. Elves from several different states rest their weapons on the borders to Orn, the state being under ceasefire. This is also one of the most povertized areas within the Inheritor States. *Ariyear :This port-town was originally an Elven Empire funded manufacturer of privateers that assisted in the enslavement of the Qadir. Now, it still functions as such, its workers providing privateers to whichever state that holds the town at the time. This alternates nearly monthly, because as soon as one state expends the soldiers to gain it, another is able to quell it immediately. As such, no great naval force can be produced from Ariyear. *Sunset’s Tower :Known to be a sister to the Ivory Tower, Sunset’s Tower was finished on the same date as the Ivory Tower. Being on the south-eastern side of the collective land, this tower was only minorly affected by the ‘Big Boom’, as named by the Orcs. Its top level completely fell, though its lower levels remain intact, its overgrown beauty changed by time in a green way. Culture Most of the Elves here follow the culture of the Avanthar, training in the combative arts of the Ranger as the war against each other rages on. The constant struggle results in nearly forty different states that are often contested with each other, boundaries not set by the fact that by the time an agreed boundary is decided, it would be revoked due to territory being gained or lost by one smaller faction. While most of the Inheritor States hold the Avanthar culture, states like Orn hold a reverent Cielothar state of mind. The rest, however, are bent on the destruction of one another and often make pledges to Maethdag or Sundoma to gain their favor in their battles. They mostly worship these two Elven Dieties, the others pertaining to pacifism and nature unimportant. The social ladder is comprised of ranks by skill and worth in combat. The leader of an Avanthar tribe is often the strongest and most experienced of the group, leading many raids and invasions on other states. Below them are officers and footsoldiers, all taught in the ways of the Ranger. Military While the many smaller states of Ariye do band together if an Orc tribe becomes too troublesome near their borders, they present no great military strength. The Elves of Ariye are mostly vagabonds and bandits, not holding any formal military training. Their self destructive behavior has led to Regalia not even bothering with them when beginning the Elven War of 302 AC. When under attack, the Elves would hide in the ruins of the many shells and husks of Ariye’s outskirts, using the old and deteriorating decorative stone as protection and shelter as they slowly execute their enemies utilizing stealth and guile. Economy There is no currency of the Inheritor States, and so the next best thing is pillaged loot. The Elves of these States view anything they take as their own fortune, trading it to gain basic necessities such as food, clothing, weapons, or medicine. Trade Goods *Armor :The Elves of the Inheritor States, after many hundreds of years of infighting, have developed techniques to producing light yet hardy armor. They use steel to plate the armor towards the middle, using about two inches worth of leather on the exterior edges. In addition to this, the Elves of the area utilize what they can forage, oftentimes creating armor out of bark and vines if necessary. This armor proves to be useful in the swamp-like environments, where they can be camouflaged as well as protected from rival states. *Weapons :Weapons are necessary in any war, and so when nearly forty states are locked in a never-ending struggle between each-other, new weapons must be innovated to gain an edge on one’s enemy. The Avanthar states create these weapons utilizing the scraps of Elven buildings and antiques, the old metal and thus the risk of infection possibly the most harmful in combat. These weapons are viewed as useless pieces of salvage by grander armies, though to the Avanthar that hold them in their hands, they are their means of survival. *Elven Empire Relics :When several states are in a constant struggle against one another among the ruins of the greatest city of a long extinct empire, advantages can be found by delving into the broken shells of a once great civilization. Many Elves return from the old tombs of their ancestors with artifacts of great wealth or power. Kitchenware from the Elven Empire is incredibly valuable in Regalia, sometimes decorating the homes of more exploitative or entrepreneurial nobles. *Ports :The Elves of Ariyear readily produce ships for whichever state may hold it at the time, however rather than being used as war vessels, some of the wiser states may use them to prepare the ships for sale. These Elven ships are very strong and durable, the same designs having been used to transport slaves from as far as Farah’deen back to Ariye. History The Inheritor States of Ariye have no prosperous and peaceful history, but that of war. After the destruction of Ariye during the ‘Big Boom’, the thousands of Elves without homes fled to the outskirts of the city, nearly unaffected by the explosion. While they escaped the ruins, the Orcs were ready, sweeping across the collapsing city, slaughtering every Elf in sight. The Elves, desperate, took many different paths. The ones full of guile hid themselves within the ruins to return to a world of dust and destruction. The ones of strength stood and fought as their more cowardly comrades ran, facing the odds bravely, pride swelling in their eyes that would rest lifeless, their blood fueled with anguish at the destruction of their city that would lie spilt on the dirtied marble streets. The ones of fleeting feet made for the plains, only to be cornered like dogs in a cage by the Orcish invaders. After a full week of evasion, the Elves that remained stood with shame. The crown jewel of the empire that had once stood tall among Elves fell. During the week of exodus, what was left of the Ivory Tower had begun to sink into the ocean. Realizing this, the surviving Elves led the Orcs into camping near the sinkage, the main attack party losing three quarters of its forces overnight as the square they had rested at sunk into the ground. The Orcs, dismayed and cut off, died a slow death as their lumbering weight could not climb the breaking chunks of brick, which merely crumbled over as the giants struggled to ascend. Following this event, the Elves divided and hurried further out from the center of Ariye. Day by day, what was known as the Noble District and Merchant District sunk, the Harbor District following in suit. Eventually, the rest of Ariye would follow, only the outskirts known as the Poor Districts remaining. Only three years after the explosion would the city finally cease to lower itself into its grave, but at this point the thought of rebuilding among the ruins was out of the question. Originally, the Inheritor States of Ariye began as one state, though as it expanded and gained more ground, discrepancies separated the remnants of Ariye into three States. These three fought, and over the ages kept on dividing into weaker mini-states. It is unknown if they will ever recover, though with the recent defeat of the Elven Sovereignty of northern Daendroc, it is predicted that they will never find the power to rise again in glory. Trivia *These states yield most of the antiques from the Elven Empire, that Regalia compensates deliciously for. *The Elves of this area still use the Elven Calendar, considering the current year to be 2536E in total rejection of the Human Calendar starting at the Cataclysm. Category:Geography Category:Nations and States